The HTC One was among the top Android smartphones in 2013, and that’s thanks in part to the company’s new focus on OS updates. The HTC One launched with Android 4.1, but now is on 4.3 or 4.4, depending on which version you have. It’s the multiple versions that can get confusing. Why do some variants of a phone get KitKat while others lag behind? Stop staring angrily at that useless system update button — HTC has a new update status page with a big graphic that explains the anatomy of an Android update.

HTC sells several versions of the HTC One, but they are nearly identical on the inside. What sets each one apart is the software it runs. There are carrier-locked phones that you might buy on-contract from the likes of AT&T or Verizon, unlocked or developer edition phones, and the Google Play Edition HTC One. The OS update for each variant takes a different winding road through the testing labs and carrier bureaucracy.

The handy graphic created by HTC is thousands of pixels tall, which really serves to i…………… continues on ExtremeTech